Attendance
‘Missed days mean missed opportunities!’
We aim to work together with Parents and Carers to ensure that all children of statutory school age who are registered at our school attend both regularly and punctually. It is the right of each and every child to have an efficient and full-time education. Regular school attendance is essential if a child is to make the most of the educational opportunity available to them.
Here at Wroot Travis Charity C of E Primary School we recognise that irregular attendance seriously disrupts the continuity of learning, undermines educational progress, can lead to underachievement and low attainment and impedes the child’s ability to develop and maintain friendship groups within school.
Our aim is to raise our attendance levels to help all children to maximise reach their full potential and we ask parents to support us in this.
Our attendance Policy can be found here
Medical Appointments
Where ever possible, parents are asked to arrange medical or other appointments out of school hours however we understand that this is not always possible. If you need to pick up your child from school for an appointment please inform the school office in advance bringing written confirmation of the time and location. It is an expectation that children will attend school before and after appointments.
Punctuality
Good time keeping and being punctual is a life lesson that is important throughout our lives. Our school day starts when the doors are opened at 8.35am and pupils are expected to be in the classroom, ready to learn, by 8.45am. Pupils who are regularly late miss learning opporutnities, such as guided reading sessions, as well as impacting on the flow of the lesson for the class as a whole. Punctuality is monitored, alongside attendance, by our Pastoral Manager and the Local Authourity Educational Welfare Officers. Where punctuality is deemed to be a concern parents will be contacted and support offered.
Leave of Absence during Term Time
We expect every pupil’s attendance at school to be 100% unless there are exceptional or unavoidable reasons for absence.
Parents do not have any legal entitlement to take their child on holiday during term time. It is the Headteacher who decides whether a period of leave during term time will be authorised or not in line with legislation. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (amended in September 2013) make it clear that Headteachers cannot grant any leave of absence during term time unless ‘exceptional circumstances’ exist.
Letter requesting leave of absence / holidays during Term Time
Every request for leave of absence during term time will reviewed on an individual basis with due consideration of the circumstances but the Headteacher can only grant leave of absence if they consider exceptional circumstances apply. If the exceptional circumstances are agreed, the Headteacher will determine the length of the absence to be authorised.
All requests for leave of absence should be made in advance and before any arrangements are confirmed or money committed. This form must be completed in full by the parent who intends to remove the pupil from school during term time. Failure to make a request for a leave of absence in advance will result in the absence taken being recorded as unauthorised.
Attendance and Punctuality Letter to Parents/Carers
Dear Parents Carers,
We would like to take the opportunity to say THANK YOU to all of our families who consistently work to ensure their children’s attendance and punctuality is high. Getting these important habits established early on in your child’s life will make a difference in their futures. There is a proven link between attendance and achievement and it is therefore very important that your child attends school every day, striving for 100% attendance.
We would like to remind all of our parents that time off during the school term will not be authorised, and if we do, this is extremely rare. Unfortunately there were a few families who took their children on holiday during term time last year. Please consider when you book your holidays and do not book during term time. A Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued. If your request for term time absence is refused and your child is still taken out of school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and noted on your child’s records.
Punctuality
Lack of punctuality affects learning and behaviour not only of the pupil who is late, but it has an impact on all other learners as the teacher is required to recap on missing learning for those who arrive late. This reduces learning time for the rest of the class.
What can you do to help?
• Make every effort to get your children into school on time.
• Families should not take holidays that require your children to miss school. Try to line up holidays with the school’s timetable. The same goes for doctor’s appointments and dentist appointments.
• Set a regular bed time and morning routine.
• Lay out clothes and school bags the night before.
• Don’t let your child stay at home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, the Pastoral Manager or other parents for advice on how to make them feel comfortable and excited about learning.
• Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbour, another parent or phone the school.
• Above all, set an example for your child. Show him or her that attendance matters to you and that you won’t allow an absence unless someone is truly sick.
If you would like to discuss any matters relating to attendance and/or puntuality please get in touch with our school attendance officers Mrs Parsons or Mrs Dawson
Mrs Goulthorpe